The Cursed Art
by shadowminxx
Summary: A mage from 400 years in the past is suddenly dumped into present times. Will she find a way to survive? Will she get back home? Or will she fall to her curse. (I promise it is more interesting than it sounds.)
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or anything related to any of the characters, and this story is clearly fiction. Rayne is my own creation, and thus I own her and her story line.**_

_** Author's Note—This story takes place during the X971/GMG Arc's (skipping the filler arc), and on into the following arcs. **_

_**Happy Reading, **_

_**xx**_

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_**Prologue**_

_The sun, white hot at its peak, watched the two make their way across deserted ruin and rock. "It's right up here," he said softly, beaming a smile to her as he extended a helping hand. "I'm sure no one knows this place, so we should be safe here."_

_She took his hand, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as he helped pull her over the last length of rock. They were several meters up now, resting on the crest of something older than either of them could have imagined. "My question is how did you happen upon this place?" He didn't answer with words, but his lips found hers and that was enough to silence her questions._

_The kiss managed to pull a smirk out of her, but they had no time to waste on silly gestures just yet. "We may have lost them, but we need to find a place to hide until we can be sure." He was on his feet, jet black hair falling in his eyes as he looked back towards the way they'd came. There was a light breeze dancing across the desert floor, sweeping away their footprints before his eyes and he prayed that would be enough to thwart their efforts. She followed, rising to her feet, letting the wind tug at the hem of the dress her mother had spent days sowing her for her nineteenth birthday. _

"_Are you sure you know where we're going?" She asked hesitantly, wanting to trust him. The magnitude of the crime they were committing could be the death of him. _

_He looked over his shoulder at her with a breathtakingly beautiful smile reaching his eyes. "I am taking the love of my life, my bride-to-be, away from the cruelties of our village and the chief, her father, as she has wished, so that we may be wed, my dear, sweet Rayne." _

_She grinned back, feeling a weight lifting from her at the thought of freedom and a life spent with the man she loved. "Stealing a princess are you?"_

_He turned, fully facing her, and took in everything about her, from the dark hair tossing unruly in the breeze to the black boots on her feet. She barely leveled with his chest, but his dark eyes found her bright blue-green ones and a gentle, albeit calloused hand cupped her cheek. "Only if she wishes to be stolen."_

_They gave themselves this moment, knowing there was still a chance they could be found by Rayne's father, or attacked by vagabonds mages, dragons, or any number of things in the Wilds. It was intimate, but curtailed by the need for safety. With one last look over her shoulder toward the direction of her home, she followed her future husband deeper into the rubble._

_The abandoned and eroded wreckage went on endlessly, quickly becoming a maze. Rayne had no idea that something like this existed and she wondered what it used to be. They ducked in and out of tunnels and debris, sometimes above ground, sometimes going several feet under the desert. The excitement she felt earlier was slowly being replaced with an unrelenting dread. She followed closely behind her thief, curious again about how he'd found such a dreadful place, but thankful it would provide them with a means to escape. Deeper and deeper, towards the heart of the ruins, they went while the sun made its way across the sky and behind the mountains in the far west. Even in the dark, they continued until sometime later she noticed a flickering up ahead._

"_Is that… A fire? Could it be that someone is here?" She whispered, but the only response was a shake of the head. As they got closer, she realized that it was indeed a fire, but they were alone. From a distance, she had thought nothing much of the flame, thinking it may have been some sort of campfire, but from this close she could tell it was something much different. The flames flashed black, blue and purple, giving off no heat, and seemed to be existing simply on their own will, fueled by nothing. "How can this be?" _

"_I am not sure. I figured it must be a magic of some sort when I first came across it, but that is as far as I can guess." He responded before taking a seat beside her and fishing bread out of the knapsack he'd tethered around himself. Rayne was very suspicious and weary, feeling the dread curling around inside of her like a snake, but she knew that they could not walk forever and it was best to eat while they could. They both sat, engulfed by the dancing flames in front of them while they nibbled sweet buns from home. It was eerily quiet, Rayne noticed. Not just quiet, but completely silent. And Rayne thought for a moment that perhaps this area had been completely drained of life. _

"_I… I don't think we should stay here much longer…" She spoke softly, afraid to disturb the silence that lay like a thick coat around them. She felt like the darkness had become tangible, trying to smoother them, and she fought herself to not panic. _

"_Finish your bread, my love," he responded softly, his hand finding hers in hopes to comfort her. "Eat now, and then we will leave."_

_She mumbled an agreement, closing her eyes and taking another bite from the bun in one hand, and holding his hand tightly with the other. A few more bites and they would be on their way to a new life. One full of love and happiness, somewhere far away from the grips of her father. For one second, she could taste the sweet juice of fruit on a warm summer day, feel grass on her legs, and hear the deep belled laugh of what would soon be her husband and the sharp squeals of children. Behind her closed eyes, she saw a small home in the woods, full of flowers and smiles, and she felt herself smiling in the dark too. _

_That one moment of imagined bliss was all she would get._

_The next moment called for an explosion that would be the beginning of the end for Rayne's plans. _

_It happened in a blur; the explosion, dragon's fire, the ambush from her father's men. As soon as it had started, it was over. They were surrounded. Her father, one of the few men to every create contract with a dragon, stood on the back of the blue beast Aligrain as they hovered above the ruins. She was thrown around, chained, slung over the shoulder of someone like a slaughtered boar. Fire burst from her body and she aimed at everything she could, but she didn't stand a chance being so caught off guard. In the darkness she watched her lover wrestled to the ground, magic too weak to take on so many at once, and she knew that they probably would end his life right then and there. _

_Before she could stop herself, she reached toward the fire in the middle of solders, willing it to her. She felt it, like a living creature reaching back in the midst of chaos, growing and stretching its tendrils towards her, illuminating what now looked like a pit with its light. She called to it with all of the energy she had, and it came to her. With no second thought, she inhaled it, breathing in the sharp, bitter flames, scorching its way down her throat. She forced herself to swallow it, knowing that she only had this one second to do something… anything… _

_The pit went pitch black. The moon was nowhere to be found, and in that instant it seemed like time froze. Deep within her body, she felt a power stronger than anything or anyone she had ever met. The heat buried into her bones, tainting her blood, poisoning her marrow. In what seemed like a far off place, she heard Aligrain's roar, and the ground beneath her started to shake. Rayne existed outside of time for a split second, as those flames took over her, and the arms that were around her were burned away. The fire engulfed her body, inside and out, beyond her control. Only one thought found its way past the pain, and she knew she had to save him. _

_It erupted all at once, with the scream keeping from the core of her being, all that power and energy swelling up inside, released all at once across her tongue with the sound of his name._

"_ZEREF!"_

_The word echoed around her, bouncing off the walls and rubble, chased by the dark flames. There were wails of agony and pain all around her, but the burning in her veins was too much for her to see. The earth shook tremendously, but Rayne couldn't stop herself or the power that emitted from her, until the earth beneath her shattered and fell away, carrying the army with it. _

_But something far worse was released. _


	2. A Strange Force

**Thanks for viewing. Hopefully more to come. Bear with me as I work out all of the kinks to this thing.**

**Happy reading,**

**xx**

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_The Tenrou group had been back for almost a month. News had travelled all over Fiore of their return, as well as the destruction of Grimoire Heart and the brutal battle against Acnologia, supported by confirmation of the Magic Council. There also seemed to be rumors circling around the country that the wicked Black Mage, Zeref, had been awakened. But our group had more pressing matters to deal with at that moment: the reputation of their guild. _

Makarov sat cross-legged on the worn bar on the far wall of the room. Kinana stood behind him, pouring a small glass of saki, which she soon pasted to him. He didn't sip, despite what everyone was thinking, but observed quietly. He watched Natsu, Lucy, Gray and Juvia sitting at a dusty table, eating something or another. They laughed and talked merrily, quickly joined by other members of the guild. Erza sat with Lisanna off to his left, sharing a piece of cake. The others who were not on the small set of jobs they had received with the spiked interest of the Tenrou group's return settled themselves around the room. The chatter riddled with laughter was sweet to the old man's ears, and for a second he could forgot that they had missed out on seven years of most of his beloved family's life.

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in savoring the peace he'd finally found, and wondered if it could be possible to keep it this way. Deep down, he knew that could never happen. Zeref was out there, somewhere, and evil was sure to follow. Not to mention that wretched Hell beast Acnologia was still around, and it seemed that dark guilds had begun to spring up everywhere. No, Makarov knew the peace would not last, and if anything, it was only going to get worse from here. So, he tried with everything he had to take in that one moment of peace, to keep this feeling buried deep in his heart to call on later in the middle of the hardships sure to follow. He felt Kinana shuffling and cleaning behind him and he finally exhaled. There was a change coming. It was building; tremoring in his bones, and he worried for the safety of his children.

"Hey, is Gramps passed out?" He heard Natsu ask loudly and proceed to poke fun his way, but Makarov didn't open his eyes or respond.

"Probably drunk off his ass," Gajeel sneered back from across the room.

No one expect Makarov seemed to notice the change in the pressure and tension in the air around them. But none of them could have imagined what was happening on the outskirts of Magnolia.

The tension in the air started to rise even more all of a sudden and the air became heavy, tangibly electrified. Out of nowhere a magic energy rivaling that of Acnologia radiated across the city. The chattering and laughing around the guild stopped immediately. Makarov's eyes shot open. There were horrified gasps and murmurs for a moment, but for the few seconds that followed, sound died out.

As quick as it came, it was gone. The guild sat in complete silence, trying hard to figure out what could possibly send such a gut-wrenching magic level and some of them even trembled with fear that Acnologia had somehow found them. All eyes fell to the third master.

"What the hell was that?!" Natsu was the first to speak up, standing up as if ready to fight. Makarov saw something in his demeanor that said he wasn't as confident as he was acting.

Everyone looked at Makarov with frightened eyes, pleading for protection from whatever evil could possibly be out there. With words failing him, he simply shook his head. "I don't know."

__

A few kilometers outside of Magnolia, hidden away in the woods, was the source of the magic shockwave the entire city had just felt. If anyone had been watching, they would have seen a burst of black, blue, and purple flames erupting from the middle of a group of trees, and disappear leaving no trace they were ever there. 

It was hot. Really hot. Burning really, for one moment and then fine the next, like being thrown into an inferno and dunked in ice water all at once. The world was spinning, too. She tried to open her eyes, but the treetops above her circled around and it made her sick. Her entire body ached. Somehow she understood that she was bleeding horribly, but couldn't think or see to properly assess the damage and it was all she could do to stay conscious. Even though she lay cold and trembling for the most part, her left hand still burned excruciatingly, but she couldn't find the strength to look at it and assumed it had been maimed or damaged in some way.

She stayed, unmoving and in too much pain to even cry or call out. Time escaped her. She had no idea where she was or what had happened to her. All she knew was the fire in her body, the burning in her hand, and pain. Indescribable pain.

Her body finally exhausted itself and she didn't have the power to keep the little consciousness she had. She let herself fade away into the shadows, unaware that someone lurked nearby. She didn't feel the hands on her or remember being carried away. She only knew the shadows and found solace in their inky blackness.

It took several days, as she was later informed, before she came too. Her body too stiff to be useful and swaddled in bandages. The burning in her hand had faded, and all that remained was the dull pulse of fire in her veins that she'd always felt with her magic, albeit a stronger pulse than usual. But her body ached and breathing took honest effort. It took several minutes for worry and fear to find her in this unsettling state, but there was little she could do to defend herself now. She settled on the fact that perhaps an attacker would not waste time on such things as bandaging and bedding her, and hoped that was enough.

A look around was all she could manage, having been so incapacitated, but she found herself in what looked to be a small room made of wood or… No. She was inside a tree. Books and plants of all kinds lined the walls, and on the far side of the room was a small desk covered in tubes and jars. It didn't take long for her to recognize some of the herbs sprouting around and conclude that this was possibly some sort of apothecary. She sent up a quick prayer to the gods hoping that this room belonged to someone who planned on helping her and not going to subject her to torture or devil magic.

As far as she could tell, she was alone. And that meant she could do nothing more than wait for the owner to return. She took a deep breath and with all her might willed herself to heal, preparing for the worst case and steeling her nerves. There was no way she was going to go down without a fight. That much she could promise.

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**Author's Note: I know this chapter is rather short, but I promise it's going to pick up and the chapters will either be more frequent or much longer from here on out. **


	3. An Unlikely History

**And so the fun begins. Thanks so much for staying along with it this far and hopefully, it only goes up from here. **

**Happy reading,**

**xx**

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_Several days after a suspiciously strong power was sensed closed to home, the guild members of Fairy Tail have found themselves overly caution. Makarov suspected that the source is still close by and has been preparing to face it since. Unbeknownst to him, he would come face to face with it very soon._

The knock on the great wooden door came in the middle of the night. The guild was mostly empty, the members having retreated from the bar back to their own homes or to Fairy Hills. Makarov, caught off guard by a visitor so late, stumbled from his bed and down to the main room, immediately aware that not much good happens after midnight. It wasn't until he was halfway to the door and the weariness of sleep was gone did he realize who he sensed on the other side.

"Porlyusica," he looked up at the pink haired elder towering in front of him, "why so late?"

"I have something you may want to see," she responded, pivoting on her heals and starting down the trail away from the guild. "I think it is rather urgent."

Makarov knew better than to respond. Trusting her judgment, he closed the door behind him. He was a man of small stature, but he made it his business to stay on her heels. He followed her in the dark as she led them into the woods on the outer edge of Magnolia, toward the little home she had made in the trunk of a very large, old tree. It wasn't until the two approached the Porlyusica's door that the third master spoke. "Would this happened to have anything to do with the power from the other day?"

Porlyusica only gave a small nod and opened the door. Makarov stepped into small room, more curious than caution about what Porlyusica was hiding there. What he found next shocked him more than he thought possible.

On the small bed to the right of the room sat a young woman who could be no more than twenty years old. She had a head full of the shiniest silver hair he'd ever seen, with bright, blue-green eyes, wide with fear. She was still mostly covered with bandages, but she seemed to be recovering at a tremendous rate. Makarov was thrown off balance.

"This?!" He's voice raised. "_She _is the source of magic that can rival that of Acnologia?" He was almost delirious with shock. He then swiftly turned to Porlyusica, standing silent toward the opposite side of the room. "There must be some mistake!"

Porlyusica just shook her head. "I'm afraid there is no mistake, I traced the magic straight to the source. Whatever happened, it was her."

Makarov turned back to the young woman, dumbfounded. "How can that be…?"

Porlyusica then stepped toward the girl, "Makarov, there's more." Makarov watching, not sure what else there could possibly be. "She doesn't seem to know who she is. Even though it's been a few days, her memories have only returned in bits and pieces…"

"If she was the source of the magic, why can't I sense it on her now?" Makarov asked, stepping closer to the girl who said nothing, but watched him closely.

Porlyusica sat gently on the bed next to the girl and then turned to Makarov. "She's been cursed."

"Cursed?" Makarov scratched his head. "Cursed how?"

"She doesn't remember," Porlyusica answered, then gestured to the girl. "May I?"

The girl didn't respond, but lifted her left hand for the elder woman to examine. It was only then that Makarov noticed the black enchantment spiraling towards the third knuckle of her ring and middle finger. He took a step closer, slowly as to not scare her, and the a few more to see properly. They marks looked like incantations, seared into the flesh, in a language he had never seen or heard of. His brow furrowed in concern. "Porlyusica, do you know this language?"

The old woman let out a deep sigh. "I do not. However, if my suspicions are correct, this is an ancient language, dead even… And the curse is too powerful to be matched by anything I've ever seen. I would say it's safe to assume that whatever placed the curse on her is the only thing that can break it…"

"But what gave the curse to you, child?" Makarov asked softly.

The girl's face fell and she lowered her eyes to her lap. "I don't know." She couldn't remember anything other than the fire. The flames licking her insides and burrowing into her bones. She barely even remembered the pain she'd been in the first couple of days. The memories danced, blurred, at the front of her mind and she knew there were very important things she needed to know, but at that point… "I can't even remember my own name."

Makarov shook his head and rubbed his eyes. From outside he could hear the wind picking up.

"It feels like a storm is on its way," Porlyusica started, breaking the short silence. "Perhaps this should resume after the rain."

Rain...

Rain.

The girl froze. Something was trying to break through the wall separating her from her memories. Rain. Why was that word so important?

Makarov agreed softly and made his way to the door. His head was swimming. "It doesn't make sense…" Porlyusica nodded. He made it to door before mumbling his goodbye. "Crazy how that girl could have produced enough power to compare to Zeref's beast, don't you think?"

The girl felt the name like a punch to the gut. The word rolled over her tongue, bitter and sweet all at once. Rain… Zeref… the words played over and over, and she felt like see was spinning again. Rain… Zeref… Rain… Zeref… Her head was hurting. A skull splitting headache erupted and she cried out, to both Makarov and Porlyusica's surprise.

Suddenly, it was all coming back. Running away from her father, Zeref, the ambush, the fire… the magnitude of their weight crushed her and before she could stop herself the flames inside of her were welling up, trying to consume her and everything around her.

"Child!" Porlyusica and Makarov rushed toward her, only to be met with dark flames throwing them back. The pressure in the air changed again and, just like the first day, an enormous amount of power erupted from the girl in front of them. She continued to cry out, grasping her left hand and pulling it close to her. It was all Makarov and Porlyusica could do to keep away from the flames for the few moments the outburst lasted. They'd both been pushed back against the far wall, covering themselves in surprise and fear from the flames.

In an instant the flames were gone. The strong pressure in the air vanished and it seemed like all had gone back to normal. Makarov and Porlyusica moved their hands, unsure of what they were about to find.

She stood in the middle of the room, arms at her side and head down. Her long bangs fell over her eyes and the enchantment engraved on her left hand seemed to be glowing an ever-fainting red. Her voice was quiet, but different then the frightened young woman she'd been just minutes before. "I remember…"

And then she dropped to her knees, sobbing.

It took Makarov and Porlyusica until early in the morning to piece together what had happened to the girl. She tried her best to explain everything as she remembered it, from the village she grew up in and her father, to her relationship and the ambush. "I mean, for the sake of all the gods, my hair is silver. It used to be as dark as night. Zer used to adore it, telling me I should never cut or alter it in anyway." She let out a wistful sigh.

"You're telling me," Makarov started at one point, interrupting her. "That you were going to marry… The Black Mage."

The girl tilted her head in confusion, "Black Mage?"

"Dear child… Zeref." Porlyusica answered softly, experiencing the same disbelief at the story as Makarov.

"Zeref, a Black Mage," the girl repeated softly. "Black Mage…" And then, to the horror and surprise of her elders, she laughed.

"How is that _funny_?!" Makarov raged in his astonishment.

Between her giggles, she responded. "The Zeref I knew would never hurt even the smallest of creatures. He cherished life more than anyone I know. He could never be evil…"

Makarov and Porlyusica watched her in silence, speechless and horrified. It was a moment before the girl recognized the tension around her, and her smile faded at the solemn looks on the other's faces.

"Rayne," Makarov spoke softly and slowly. "Zeref is the most evil wizard of all time. He is the father of the strongest demons the world has ever seen. It's said he killed countless lives during his reign, but even that was over _four-hundred_ years ago… There's no way that's even possible." Rayne didn't comprehend at first. The words "demons", "kill", "four-hundred" wrapped themselves around her brain and swirled until she was dizzy again. "There's just no way," Makarov repeated again.

"No…" The word escaped her lips as little more than a breath. Rayne put her hands in her head and closed her eyes. The man was right, there was no way. Unless.

And then she saw it. That beautiful smile of Zeref's, the dark flame dancing in the middle of the pit. She remembered breathing it in, in an effort to save his life and the floor of the pit falling away… But she didn't fall. "I didn't fall."

"Huh?" Makarov watched as she looked up.

"I didn't fall… That night in the pit," She started words came like a rushing water. "I didn't fall, because I inhaled the flame. Or I believe it was because I breathed in the flame. And Zeref. Zeref didn't fall either, but I don't know why. I was trying to save him, but I don't know how I would have done that without touching him. No, I couldn't have touched him." She remembered the arms of her attackers burning away from her at the heat of the flames inside her. "I would have killed him…"

The elders listened to her in complete silence.

"I shouldn't have tried to eat the flames… Maybe things would have been fine." She could see his face in the flames. She could see the cuts on his face bleeding, his hand reaching for her as the beast came forward from the depths of Hell. The name crept across her lips. "Kakodios."

"_What!_" Porlyusica hissed.

"The beast… the flame… the curse…" Rayne closed her eyes and shook her head. "Kakodios."

"There's… There's no way…" Porlyusica looked frightened, trembling in disbelief.

Makarov had never heard of such a beast. "What is Kakodios?"

"The creator of evil," Rayne whispered at the same time Porlyusica's poor voice cracked.

"The creator?" Makarov shook his head again, not understanding.

Rayne covered her face with her hands. "Even then, Kakodios was nothing more than a kid's tale. Stories of a giant serpent, king and creator of all demons and ill will of all worlds. Said to have been born with the creation of the planet. There were legends that the deserts beyond my family's village were the result of a single roar from the serpent one horrible day when he was summoned to our world by a group of his worshipers. I knew I was forgetting something then, but I should have realized what those ruins were. Kakodios destroyed the land until his eyes met the horizon. Everything he could see was obliterated. It's said that the strongest devil slayers in our world sealed the gate he used to accesses our world, but…" Rayne stopped, tears brimming her eyelids. Her body shook with her sobs. "I was a fire mage, as my family had been. I thought that I could eat the flame to get enough strength to… But I didn't know… I didn't know it would release the seal." She was sobbing harder than before now. There's no telling what had been released on this world because of her. And what happened to Zeref… The pain was too much. The magnitude of what she'd done and how she had destroyed the precious life she'd loved so dearly… she couldn't handle it.

Makarov and Porlyusica swallowed the fear that had gripped them from the start and waited for the disheartened cries of the young woman in front of them to fade away, until she was read to speak again.

"I tried to fight him…" she whispered, numb and cold from the trauma she'd had to relive that night.

The third master almost fell over. Porlyusica cast her a sharp look.

"There's no way you could have fought something like that. The thing is supposed to have been made of nothing but pure evil," Porlyusica countered.

"I know," Rayne looked at her hands, following the spirals and twists of the ancient writing burning into her skin. "I believe the dark flame had been the seal of the devil slayers. Crafted and created specifically for Kakodios. Whatever it was… It's the reason I survived. The serpent… He tried to attack Zeref. I couldn't control myself and the fire inside overtook me. It saved our lives, because he couldn't get through the flames, but the pressure caused Zeref to go crashing into the walls of the pit. I couldn't see him after that, but I can assume if he made it this far that he landed somewhere safe. Kakodios attacked again and again, but the fire kept him at bay. Maybe it was the unhampered power settling in, because I don't think I could have that strength again… But it made the beast angry. That's… that's how I got the curse. And I'm sure that's what happened to Zeref… There's no way my Zeref would… would kill…" Rayne closed her eyes tight, feeling the bite and sting of tears, but she forced them back. "And when Kakodios retreated, he took me with him through all of his worlds and all times. The trip almost ripped my body apart. I guess he dropped me here, or I fell out of his gate. Who knows…?"

"Do you know what this curse does, child?" Porlyusica slowly reached forward, taking Rayne's left hand in her own.

Rayne shook her head. "I don't know… but if what you said before is true about being similar to Zeref… There's no doubt in my mind that he has been suffering a curse this entire time." Then she sighed, meeting Porlyusica's eyes and then meeting Makarov's. "It hurts to use… Even for those few seconds, it's excruciating pain. Those marks burn and glow and in the strangest way I can feel them growing. Seeping up, minutely, anytime I access that power."

The three were still for a long time. The storm had ended a while ago and the sun was ascending rapidly. Somewhere in the treetops, birds sang loudly, unaware of what had been happening in Porlyusica's tree-home. It was the master who finally broke the silence.

"Porlyusica, I know you may not know the language, but I think I know someone who might be able to find out about it. I think we should try learn as much about the curse as we can, and for the time being it is best to not use it at all. As far as your fire magic…" he began talking.

"It's not fire magic anymore," Rayne said matter-of-factly. "Those flames are flames of the Devil Slayer Fire Mages."

"I think it would benefit all of us if you stayed with Makarov's guild… Training yourself, controlling the new magic, updating yourself… You have four-hundred years of history to catch up on," Porlyusica replied sternly. "And I have exceeded the amount of human contact that I can stand for now." The master nodded in agreement.

Rayne looked up, clearly confused. "What's… a guild?"

Makarov and Porlyusica shared a look.

My dear," the master began. "I am Makarov Dreyar, Third Master of Fairy Tail, the greatest magic guild in Fiore!" He was beaming. "And I personally invite you to join our guild."

"I guess I don't really have a choice…" Rayne responded with a sigh. Makarov's face fell in shame.

"No, you don't." Porlyusica said, moving toward her desk. She fiddled with the clutter on the before turning back around. "Take these. They will help you continue to heal."

Rayne took the small package of what she assumed to be herbs out of the old woman's hands.

"Let's go see Levy," Makarov grumbled, downtrodden by Rayne's lack of excitement. He knew she didn't understand the idea just yet, but she could have at least caught on to his vibe.

Rayne followed the master out of Porlyusica's door before she turned to look at the woman who had saved her and taken care of her. "I am in your debt." The words were almost too soft to hear, but the old woman understood.

"I hold no account of debt," The old lady murmured, shooing the Rayne away, pretending to be rather grumpy.

Rayne took a few more steps before turning once again to Porlyusica. "If what you said is true and Zeref has created such great evil in this world, I swear to you… I will defeat every demon in his army. And I will stop him…" Her eyes shown bright at the old woman like nothing she'd ever seen. The elder wonder if she was simply imagining the fire in the young woman's veins illuminating something inside of her. There was a fierce intensity behind Rayne's vows and Porlyusica knew that this girl would be a force to be reckoned with. "This is my fault… and I will fix this. No one else should suffer because of my mistakes."

With that, Rayne turned. Something inside her gave way, and it began to boil and rage down in her belly, searing away fear and worry. She could not bear the idea that she was the cause of so much destruction, so much death, so much evil… She had nothing now except the tattered clothes and bandages on her body, the fire in her belly, and the curse on her hand, and the magnitude of that took it a grave toll on her. Her family was gone, the man she loved had become the greatest villain of human history, and she owed her life to an old woman living in a tree… No. She owed her life to anyone who had suffered because of her mistakes.

The idea of giant, grisly creatures destroying cities and killing innocent people crossed her mind. She shuttered and it took everything in her to fight back the tears. If the nightmares Makarov and Porlyusica had described were real, then she would just have to get strong enough to defeat them. She was nothing right now, but she would become a real mage… A real Demon Slayer. The evil would end with her, even if she had to do it alone.

Porlyusica watched Rayne follow Makarov until the two were out of sight, then she soundlessly closed the door behind her. She wasn't sure the girl understood the caliber of vow she'd just made, but Porlyusica sent a silent prayer towards the gods. Maybe she was going senile in her old age, but something inside of her aging body flickered with hope. Perhaps, if anyone could bring down the evil of Zeref… then maybe, just maybe… it could be her. Maybe it could be Fairy Tail.

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**So ends the history of Rayne. Let me know what you think of Rayne's story and tell me if I should combine the previous chapter with this one!**

**Now it's time to get serious. More updates soon, and I will decide on whether or not I should combine the first two chapters (not the prologue!) by the time I post the next chapter. **

**N****otice: My idea is to write very similar to how the anime would go, so (aside from the prologue) the italics should signify what would be a narrator. I had some questions about it, so I hope that clarifies everything.**


	4. Home of the Broken

**Here it is! Chapter three. Thank you for reading this far. A special thanks to all of the lovely reviews I've received, as well. **

**As always, happy reading!**

**xx**

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_When last we left off, Rayne had accepted Master Makarov's invitation to join the Fairy Tail. If she's telling the truth, then she is a four-hundred year old wizard dumped into the future by Evil itself. What will become of our young Devil Slayer?_

Makarov spared little time leading Rayne back to the guild. The orange flag bearing the insignia hung proudly above the door, but the rest of the build was tattered and had clearly seen better days. Rayne wondered what could have possibly happened to the place, but thought it best to keep quiet for now. The master opened the gigantic door with little effort, and she made note that he was probably a lot stronger than his small stature lead on. If Fairy Tail really was the "greatest guild" and if Makarov was the master of such a thing, she had to trust that he had exceptional power, making a promise to herself that she would learn all that the man could possibly teacher her. In fact, she planned to learn as much as she could from anyone and everyone who would be willing to teach her. She couldn't even control the Devil Slayer magic right now, but if she was to keep her vow, she was going to have to work harder than anyone else. She was determined to live up to the title she'd been given. She didn't have a choice.

With barely any effort, the door was open and Rayne peered over the master's head to see… a fight. More accurately, it looked like a war had erupted inside the guild hall and Rayne was shocked. Flames and ice flew in every direction. She even thought she saw pieces of iron, swords and cards in the mix. The master stood, ashamed to have this be the first thing the new arrival saw about the guild. It was a horrendous battle, leaving the place a mess. Tables flew in all directions, turned every possible way. Chairs broke from colliding with the walls. Even the Request Board was in half. Makarov stepped into the hall, calling loudly to stop the nonsense, but no one seemed to hear him and if they did, no one seemed to care.

Rayne had no idea how to react to this. She wasn't sure what a guild was supposed to be, but as an outsider, it looked like they were trying to tear each other apart. Words like "Seven year gap", "debt", and "weakest guild in the country" were on the lips of one party and it seemed that the others were prepared to prove them wrong. She wasn't so sure this was any safer than trying to fair on her own and for a moment, she considered bolting. And she would have, if Makarov hadn't decided to put his Titan magic to good use, growing several times his original size and letting out a roar loud enough to shake the foundation of the place. Impressed didn't cover how Rayne felt. Of course, she was scared out of her mind, but right then she knew that Makarov was someone she wanted to have as an ally in this new world. She was rooted to threshold, amazed (albeit slightly terrified) by the old man.

All at once, the commotion stopped. In fact, no one else moved either, until the master shrank down to his normal size. It was clear then that the sparring had been causal and immediately Rayne sensed the respect everyone in the room had for the old man. This made her wonder just what she'd actually gotten herself into.

"Now, listen up! You guys are little more than a pain in my side most of the time, but there is something you all need to be reminded of," Makarov started. With one swift leap, he'd taken his normal spot in the middle of the bar. "A guild means nothing without its members and its power comes from the bonds we create as a family. These walls mean nothing without the connections we make with each other. I know times have been rough, but we each carry the name of this guild and it is unlike any other guild in Fiore. Fairy Tail was built on the bonds of friendship and love. If you bear the mark, then that is your burden. That is where we draw our strength. That is what makes us number one!" His hand shot up, one finger extended.

Makarov's words hit Rayne with breathtaking force. The weight of them was crushing her and it was hard to breathe. The master had told her how so many of the members of this guild had been trapped in a spell that saved their lives against the horrible beast Acnologia. He told her about their fight with the dark guild Grimoire Heart who'd tried to awaken Zeref, mentioning that a few of the members had come face-to-face with the Black Wizard. He'd told the stories of his children… Some enslaved to rebuild a tower in the name of Zeref, others attacked by his demons and losing their families and loved ones… And here she stood, at the door of a guild full of all those brutally victimized by her mistakes. More so, here she was, invited to join said guild. Makarov knew her history. He knew what she'd done and was personally affected by the all pain she'd caused so many of the people standing in front of her and countless more. Yet he offered her this home. He had accepted her and asked her to be a part of his family, despite the lives she'd single-handedly ruined. She felt her heart breaking. Tears stung her eyes and she bit her cheek in an effort to hold them in. It was easy to make a vow to make things right when the faces of those she'd hurt were ghosts; blurs or grey and black shadows in her mind. But here, in front of her, they took shape. They had faces, names, feelings, lives… And Rayne felt like she was dying. Or wished she could.

Everyone else seemed moved by Makarov's words in a different way. Where they were breaking Rayne apart, they empowered the others. Every hand went up, index out, and the cheering began immediately. Rayne wasn't sure she could stay in this place any longer so she turned to leave. Unfortunately, she only got a step out the door before the master stopped her. "Where are you going? I was just about to introduce you to everyone!" He had a kind and wide smile, which hurt Rayne even more.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, warm tears escaping her eyes despite how hard she fought against them. They rolled down her cheek, dripping off her chin. "I can't stay here."

Makarov clearly didn't understand what was going on. His grey brows furrowed and pulled together, causing the wrinkles between his eyes to become more defined. "What do you mean? Of course you can stay."

Rayne only shook her head, hiding her face, and continued into the yard.

"Rayne, wait!" Makarov quickly followed. By now everyone else in the guild had become aware of her presence and a group quickly gathered by the door quietly.

"No, Mr. Makarov. I can't stay here." The sobs were uncontrollable now. They shook her tiny frame and she found it hard to see as she stumbled towards the road. She had almost made it too, except she managed to step on a loose rock which sent her rocketing face first into the dirt. Now there was no turning back. All the feelings she'd been trying to ignore and bury came at her with full force. She wanted nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare. To see her mother's smile and feel her father's calloused hands on her hair. She wanted to feel Zeref's arms around her and breathe in his lemongrass and mint scent. She didn't want to be cursed, or a Devil Slayer anymore. She never wanted anyone to be hurt because of her. All she could think about was going back, fixing everything… giving these people their lives back.

"What are you talking about?" Makarov was by her side in an instant, hand on her shoulder.

"I can't stay here," she breathed in between sobs. "I have hurt all of these people. I have ruined all of their lives. I can't be a piece of this "family" when I have caused so much evil." The group had come closer at this point. They listened to Rayne's cries in silence, concerned, frightened, and confused by her words. None of them understood how this white-haired girl could be causing any evil in their lives. "Don't you get it?" She pulled her face out of her hands to meet the master's eyes. Her eyes were more bright green than blue now, contrasted by the redness from her crying. She was angry now, but it was directed at herself rather than Makarov, and she was still unaware that a group had formed around her. "You told me the stories last night. I have hurt you and most, if not all the members of this guild. Of your family. I am responsible for what happened to Zeref. I am responsible for all the pain and destruction he's caused."

This was, of course, shocking news to the guild. Most of the group was in disbelief. Zeref was a four-hundred year old legend to those who hadn't come face to face with him on Tenrou Island. But, despite the shock and concern some felt, they all trusted Makarov and knew he would never bring someone truly evil into his guild. Each and every soul put their trust in the old man's judgment and waited for his response.

Rayne waited for the backlash. She waited for him to understand, to make the connection, to agree, to throw her out. She expected the worst, almost craving it. She held her breath as he took his time looking her over with a hard look. Then, in a stern but soft voice he spoke. "Now, you listen to me. Once and for all. Everyone in this guild has faced hardships, but each and every person has their own demons. We've made mistakes and even though most of us never see the ripple effect of those mistakes, it doesn't mean they don't exist. I know you hurt, in ways I can never imagine, and the pressure and weight of your ripple has come crashing down on you in this time period. But you have to understand that nothing you did was with the intent to harm anyone else. You were acting in the only way you knew how. And never, ever will you ever be responsible for the actions of others. All you did was break a seal, my dear. As unfortunate as that turned out to be, there is no more or less. The suffering my children have felt has been at the hands of those far more evil than you have been or ever can be. You have only provided them a means to an end. A tool. Do you understand me?"

Rayne felt tears brimming once more. Overflowing without a fight. She started to shake her head, to reject the kindness she was being faced with, but Makarov placed his hands on her shoulders, steading her. His words were almost carried away by the breeze. "This is a safe place, Rayne. A place of new beginnings. This is where those who are downtrodden, lost, and dirty come to find peace, family… a home. And you are welcome here."

Suddenly the crowd behind Rayne and Makarov decided to make themselves known. Rayne jumped and looked back with surprise at their cheers and exclamations. She saw for the first time each face of those whom she had somehow harmed. And now they all knew how she was responsible. But they cheered. They accepted her. There was no hate or anger in the faces she saw, and that made her almost break down in sobs again. She wonder what kind of strength these people must have to come face-to-face with the root of all their heartache and to still accept it. To want to treat her as one of their own. It broke her heart and she made a second vow. Much more permanent that the previous and it radiated from the core of her being. She was going to make things right. She was going to strong enough to stop the evil she'd caused. Her family was gone, her home was gone… but this group. These people were offering her the very things she'd lost. And if they were going to accept her, she could not and would fail them. She would protect them, in life or death. Their pain, loss, and risk because of and for her would not be in vain.

Pink, red, blonde, black, blue, white… the hair colors came with grins and smiles. Makarov helped her get to her feet, and she took a minute to wipe her eyes. "Now that everything is covered… Rayne, I'll ask one more time. Will you join our guild?" The old man looked up at the white haired mage expectantly. She couldn't find her voice for the time being so she resorted to a swift nod. Once again the group erupted in cheers and she was quickly thrown into a series of handshakes and introductions. There were even talking cats which would have surprised her if the memory of the serpent king wasn't still so fresh on her mind. Mirajane took the liberty of fetching the stamp with the guild's insignia.

"Where would ya like it?" Mira beamed with anticipation and Rayne was sure she'd never seen anyone more beautiful.

She'd decided to put it on the back of her neck, and it came out a dark purple similar to the Devil Slayer flames she now possessed. She then spent the remainder of the afternoon telling her story and answering questions. The group was surprised by most of the tale and Rayne kept expecting the group to get angry or upset with her, but they never did. They were deeply curious about how old she technically was and the fact that she could use Devil Slaying magic (despite her inability to control it just yet). Never had she met a more open-hearted group of friends and somewhere deep down she felt a warmth start to grow, feeling almost happy for the first time in days. Unfortunately, the little, light spark of happiness she felt was soon put out with her talk with Levy.

The sun was dipping behind the trees by time Master was able to break Rayne away from the group and showed Levy the markings on her left hand. The blue haired wizard was falling short with her research, unable to figure out little more than the possible languages it could be written in.

"I'm sorry," she said with a sad sigh. "I don't know anything about the languages I've narrowed it down to and our library doesn't have near enough resources for that or Devil Slaying magic." Master Makarov wasn't sure what to do next and looked at Rayne apologetically. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Levy excitedly jumping up from her seat. "I may have a solution!"

Rayne and Makarov waited, watching Levy shuffling threw the small shelf of books lining the wall. It looked like she had started to loose heart for a while, but then she found something that seemed like good news. She came back to the table the group had been sitting at and set a book full of what looked like contact information down. "If I remember correctly, Master, you have a contact in here that has studied this kind of magic before. Perhaps, given the magnitude of history surrounding how Rayne came to get such magic, she will be able to figure out information about the curse, or know of someone who does?"

Makarov gave Levy a weird look for a moment before realization dawned on him and the person she was referring to came to mind. "That's right!" It came out as almost a roar, scaring Rayne so much she jumped.

"W-what?" She stammered, wondering what on Earth was about to happen to her. "Who is it?"

"Well," Makarov began, looking at a name in the book before nodding. "There is an older lady who lives outside the capital city Crocus. If I remember correctly, her ancestors were Devil Slayers, although she herself does not use magic. She has spent her life dedicated to the sacred art however, and possibly would know where to start with research on this curse of yours."

Things were starting to look up and this made Rayne tremendously excited. Not only would she get to train with someone who had studied Devil Slayer magic, she could possibly figure stuff out about her curse. "This is great!" Her smile was contagious and soon Levy and Makarov had similar grins on their lips. "This means I can get started on training. I'll become a real Devil Slayer!" She had to stop herself before she spilled out her true goals. The fire she'd felt burning in her veins earlier was bubbling inside of her again. It was vital she become stronger. The reality of her weakness in her current state weighed heavy on her. Even as a fire mage she had only just began training. Now, here she was, promising herself to protect the world against an evil she couldn't begin to measure… It was daunting to say the least, but she pushed the doubts and worries out of her mind. She'd had her breakdown, her moment of fear, her relapse. This place was one of new beginnings, Makarov had said. And that knowledge resonated in her mind. This was her second chance and she could not fail these people who had opened their hearts so willingly to her. It sounded cheesy, even in her own head, but she knew what she had to do. "Okay, so I just need to go to Crocus and talk to this lady, and she'll help me, right?" It seemed pretty straightforward to her.

"Well," Makarov leaned back in his chair contemplating something. "It may not be so easy… The woman you'll need to find calls herself Bellicose and I don't think I've ever heard her real name, but she lives up to the title. She is very ill-tempered and does not take kindly to visitors.

Rayne's face dropped. Even if she did make it to this woman, there was no real way to know if she would help or not. Rayne was about to comment when a battle broke out on the far side of the room between the pink-headed Natsu and red-headed Erza. Instantaneously flames were flying towards all corners of the room, but the fire was put out the next moment by Erza who had changed into a red and orange suit of armor in the blink of an eye. Natsu realized he was at a serious disadvantage and with muttering and cursing (as well as persuading from the blonde girl, Lucy, and the blue cat called Happy), he gave up.

Levy, seeing the look on her face, took it upon herself to explain. "That's Erza's Flame Empress Armor. It reduces the ability of fire magic. Cool, huh?"

Rayne gave a short nod, eyes following Erza from across the room. If normal people could use magic that was almost completely resistant to fire magic, how could she possibly beat demons with it? In the back of her mind, she had the idea that perhaps, if she could get the Bellicose lady to train her, then she could work with things resistant to fire. If she could beat those, then maybe she'd have a chance to beat others with fire resistant magic. _At the very least, it's worth a shot_, she thought. Maybe she'd tell Erza to save her a spar when she returned from Bellicose, if the old woman agreed to help her.

Makarov cleared his throat, but the rest of his words slipped by Rayne, who was still pondering the possibilities. She heard him mention that she should leave as soon as possible and he'd write a letter to explain the situation (and he planned to cash in an old favor from Bellicose) as well as provide a map to the capital and food for travel.

"Do you want anyone to accompany you? I'm sure someone would be more than willing?" Makarov asked, causing Rayne to come back to the conversation at hand.

"Um… No. I-I think I should do this on my own. I need to work through all that's going on before I get there and this would be the perfect opportunity," she lied. Of course she wanted someone with her. If she needed food and maps, then it was clear this was going to be a bit of a journey and it terrified her that she'd be going alone. But she couldn't stand to ask any more from these people. She wasn't worth it. And she knew that even if Bellicose declined her, she would not return to this guild until she was worthy of the mark she now bore. She could still feel it, like a steady pulse of heat at her shoulder line. She would go alone and pray for a safe trip. Even if it took years, she would only let herself cross that threshold when she truly was a Devil Slayer and that was that.

Makarov gave her a hard look, knowing there was more to her answer. He knew she was lying, but if she was determined to go alone enough to lie about it, then alone she would be.

With everything decided, Makarov provided her with a place to sleep for the night, as well as food. Soon every member of the guild was aware of what she was going to do and they wished her the best. Rayne even had the courage to ask Erza to have a battle when she returned, as long as she promised to not hold back and to use her Fire Empress Armor. Erza, of course, readily agreed. As she sat in the small room Makarov had let her use for the night, Rayne tried to recall every name, face, and type of magic of her guild-mates. She felt that it was very important information to know and she had profound respect for all of them. In fact, she spent most of that time alone memorizing as much as she could of what she'd learned that day (mostly to fend off the heartache and home-sickness she felt). She even spent a good bit of time practicing with her magic, trying to gain some control over it, but it fought back. No matter how small the amount she summoned was, it would quickly grow into long tendrils that would become too wild for her to handle. She knew she had a long way to go, but the distance seemed to be steadily increasing.

Eventually, she exhausted herself. With what little of the night was left, she dreamt of a black fire. It was still, steady, never wavering. She watched it for a very long time and it burned strong, not even blinking. At one point, she believed she could touch it and reached out her hand, slowly so she wouldn't disrupt… Gently her fingertips brushed the flames and immediately it was gone, leaving her in a cold and endless dark. She could feel it gently tugging on her edges, trying to absorb her.

Rayne woke with a start, drenched with sweat, just as a knock sounded on her door. It was time for her to leave.

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**Thank you for reading! More updates soon. **

_*As a tiny side note: I know this isn't my best writing (I'm still getting a feel of the story), but I prefer to post everything as soon as I finish or otherwise it will take forever or simply never get posted. So, in order to update in a timely manner, I post everything as soon as I finish it. However, I fully intend to edit/polish the chapters at a later date. So, if you have complaints about the writing, I promise I am well aware and I encourage you to think of the chapters as drafts instead of polished pieces.*_


	5. Trouble Always Follows

**Here's the newest chapter! I apologize for the wait, but I had things at work to attend to. I wrote when I could, but hopefully the next chapter can be posted in less time than this one. **

**As always, happy reading!**

**xx**

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_After all that's happened to her, it seemed that Rayne could finally come to terms with the way things were going to be from here on out. Unfortunately, the plan quickly changed, and now she finds herself on the road, heading towards Fiore's capital in hopes that Makarov's old acquaintance, Bellicose, will help her figure out how to control the Demon Slayer's flames living inside her. _

There was a quiet path through a forest, whose name was known only by those living among the wiry branches latticing several feet above the heads of those who walked beneath, and the only clear sound for several feet in any direction was that of bramble crunching under sandaled feet. It was here Rayne found herself, deep in the stomach of a thatched wood, food running low, and several days' worth of ground behind her. She still wore the hand-stitched gown from her own time, but it had taken a lot of work to make it wearable again (to which she owed another grand thanks to Porlyusica). Unfortunately, her mother's handiwork was not meant to be worn through brush and lumber and definitely not meant for travel, so the helm had begun to fray once more and she'd had it snagged by countless thorny vines and low-hanging limbs over the days she'd been on the road. She'd been traveling for about five days by foot, only stopping at night or to wait out any autumn showers. If the map Makarov had given her was still up-to-date, then on the other side of this forest would be Crocus. At this rate, however, it would be nightfall before she made it into the city and even then, she had to reach the far side to get to Bellicose's home on the rim of the capital.

Rayne let out a tired sigh. Her legs were burning again from the constant walking and her feet were sore beyond belief. The bread in her knapsack had somehow turned to stone, and her hair was sticking to the sweat on her neck and face whenever it got the chance. Even though it was early autumn, the summer's heat had bled over, which she had forgotten to take into account when she'd started the journey. The first day hadn't been so bad. She'd made it through the city of Magnolia, opposite the way she'd come from Porlyusica's. No one had paid much attention to her there, minus a few good morning's. She'd made it through a second city and into the third by nightfall the second day. Finding safe places to sleep was always a challenge, but she'd settled for trees on the outskirts of cities or a few steps from the path for now. She hadn't slept more than a few hours each night though, starting with a panic from nightmares each night or approaching footsteps from other travelers (from which she would hide higher up in the tree). Luckily, she'd made it this far with no real problems.

"Lucky," she mumbled to herself, answered only by a light breeze that barely shuffled the few yellowing leaves on the path. "But horribly lonely." She'd been on this path since sunset the previous night and now the sun was at its peak, bearing down on her shoulders. She passed the time from Magnolia to here by attempting to practice her magic as she walked, feeling the pressure to get stronger around her constantly, but it was proving incredibly difficult and no matter what she did, the flames would abide by their own will. Even now, she felt the scratching need to practice, but she didn't have the physical strength to do much more than keep her feet moving.

She wondered if the letter Makarov had given her (tucked safely under the remaining loaves of bread she had) would be enough to convince the hot-headed Bellicose to help her. If not, it seemed that Rayne would never make it back to Fairy Tail since she had promised that she would only return if, and only if, she had become a true Devil Slayer. At the time she knew it was going to be difficult, but it at least seemed do-able. Now, after several days of working with the magic and getting nowhere, it seemed completely impossible. The fears and doubts had found their way back into her mind, slinking around like a dark cloud outlining every thought she had, but she'd been persistent in blocking them out until now. But what little will power she had left went to focusing on the fact that there was still the possibility that Bellicose would say yes. It was that minuscule piece of hope that kept her on her feet for the remainder of the forest's path.

Crocus was the most elaborate and expansive human establishment Rayne had ever laid eyes on. In comparison to the stark forest she'd managed to stumble through just as the sun was setting, Crocus was a blossom of light and sound, seen and heard from the mouth of the forest a good length outside of the city. Even standing at the crest of the trees, she could pick out the gigantic tower of the king, raised against a backdrop of mountains resting beyond the city lines.

Rayne walked through the city with an air of excitement and wonder about her. She stopped several times to admire the bushels of flowers scattered around the city, forgetting that it was her job that had brought her to this place. She found herself cutting through alleyways between shops and houses, allowing herself a little time to enjoy herself. Every now and then she would stop and look up at the castle, illuminated against the dark sky, to measure which direction she was, compared to where she'd entered the city, and how far she was from the place she needed to exit. The townsfolk were pleasant for the most part, greeting her with smiles. She would smile back, sometimes even curtsying for the fun of it. In fact, she was in relatively good spirits by the time she'd circled half of the city.

The moon was high in the sky by this point and most of the town had turned in for the night. Slowly the mass of lights she'd seen when she entered the city was growing dim, so she thought it best to go ahead and get on the path to Bellicose's, planning to spend a few hours in another tree until the sun rose again. _Probably best to not disturb the old woman in the middle of the night,_ Rayne thought, taking a long alley towards the edge of the town. It seemed rather unwise to get on Bellicose's bad side before Rayne had the chance to ask for her help. Her mind filled with dread at the thought of having to knock on Bellicose's door and she imagined all the things she could possibly say or do to get on the old lady's bad side.

It was these thoughts that made Rayne forget her surroundings and she didn't notice the footsteps behind her or the hand that crept towards her shoulder. She didn't feel the change in the air that follows another person's presence. She failed to sense the magic energy around her or catch the stale liquor smell of their breaths slowly filling the tight passage. And who knows what would have happened if the second pursuer hadn't accidentally stepped on a loose piece of cobble, producing a sound that ricochet around the narrow alley. Immediately Rayne jumped, spinning on her heels at the noise, only to find two burly looking men with thick beards and several scars and tattoos on their face and arms. Their shirts, tattered and dirty, bore the twisted insignia of one of the many dark guilds that had sprouted up around the country, but that fact escaped Rayne. She was more concerned with the fact that her only chance of survival would be to run, since her magic was completely useless to her, but there was no telling what kind of magic these two could have. She didn't let the two men know that she couldn't control her magic, however, silently summoning the dark flames to her hands with hopes that the unruly twists of the fire would keep them from attacking.

"Huh, whad ya know…" the man furthest away spoke first, a grin spreading wide enough to show gaping holes where his teeth should be. "I ain't 'er seen flames like 'em afore, 'ave ya Mace?"

The closest to Rayne, Mace, shook his head. "Nah, Barrel, cain't say I 'ave." Rayne took a step back, watching the men closely, but Mace didn't take too kindly to her moving. "Uh-huh, girly. Doncha go movin' on me now. Wouldn't wanna 'ave ter chase ya."

Rayne's heart race in her chest, fluttering against her ribcage. She tried to sound tough, but her voice came out cracked and shaky. "W-what do you want with me?"

"Well, ain't it clear? Yer commin' wid us." Barrel spoke now, moving closer. He came to stand beside Mace, and they shared a disgusting smile. Just then, Barrel decided to use his magic, seeing Rayne's as a threat, and a green cloud started to form in the alley way. Rayne was hit with the most wretched smell to ever cross her nose. It stung her eyes, causing them to water too much for her to see, and she gagged on the scent forcing itself way into her lungs, chocking her. She felt something cold and thick, inching its way over her toes and she wanted to scream, but opening her mouth only allowed more of the horrendous odor in.

Mace let out a chilling cackle. "Now that's what I call Sludge Magic, Barrel." Rayne tried to move away, letting her flame dissipate, but she only heard Mace ticking his tongue. "Now now, whad I say bout movin'?"

Something rough began snaking its way around Rayne's waist, burning even through her dress. She figured it was some kind of plant magic, but had no way to combat it and had to let the vines burn every piece of uncovered flesh they came across. It destroyed her that her fire would have so easily taken care of these jerks if only she could do more than summon them. She was left helpless, chocking and restrained, able to do nothing but wait for the men to act.

She could hear them moving through the muck released by Barrel. The idea of their hands on her made her nauseous, but she couldn't move. As far as she could tell, this was the end of her journey. If these creeps could have their way with her, that was going to be as far as she could get. She regretted leaving the safety of the guild and that she refused to travel with someone. The mistakes she'd made leading up to this moment reared their ugly heads and she was so helpless that she couldn't even control her own actions. Tears of regret filled her eyes easily now, following the paths already made by Barrel's stench. She couldn't even muster up the ability to release herself to the magic like she'd done before. Something was stopping even her last resort of power.

They were close now, unable to see but far more capable in the bile than Rayne. Rayne tried once more to scream, but she only choked more, before a vine covered her mouth. _This is it,_ Rayne thought, preparing herself for the horror to come.

But it never did.

Rayne kept her eyes tightly shut, but suddenly it became eerily quiet. This time Rayne felt the change in the air. She felt the pressure change, the shift in magic aura, and something much stronger than Barrel and Mace combined made its way beside her, with an incomprehensible swiftness, and was in front of her, unmoving and hidden by Rayne's current state of blindness. She waited several moments for something to happen, but it never did. She thought, for a split second, she heard Barrel and Mace yelp, but she couldn't be sure. The idea of something stronger than those two standing in front of her, biding its time, made her tremble even more and she felt her blood run cold.

She felt the grime around her feet lessening and eventually the vines around her lessened and she could breathe the air around her. Once the vines had released most of her body, she fell to her knees, shaking too much to stand. She mustered up all the courage she had just to open her eyes to see what was going to happen to her next.

It was darker now. Most of the lights around the city had been put out and it was hard to see. But there was someone in front of Rayne. Another male. She could make out a head of dark, shaggy hair and the slim build of the person. She saw him take a step towards her and she winced involuntarily, letting out a pathetic whimper. She hated herself so much in that moment that she couldn't think straight. Everything in her body wanted for her to protect herself, but she couldn't. She was vulnerable and there was nothing in the world she could do against mages.

The guy took another step towards her, then another, quickly. The thick soles of his shoes echoed off the cobbled alleyway floor. Rayne kept her eyes tightly closed, shrinking away from him as much as she could since her legs wouldn't support her if she tried to run. She felt his hand touch her shoulder and she jerked away, both out of fear and pain from where the vines had left burns. His fingertips were cool and despite the fact she'd jerked away at first, he reached for her again, gently so as to not scare her any more than she already was.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered in the dark, but Rayne was still horrified at herself and everything that had happened. "Are you okay?"

He's voice was soft and deep, eerily familiar. It was this that caused her to open her eyes and look at the person in front of her. She found his face inches from hers, as he was kneeling over her, hand on her shoulder. His shaggy hair covered most of his face and his eyes were dark, but he looked so much like… Rayne felt like her heart had stopped. She couldn't breathe. There was no way… He looked so much like.

"My name is Rogue," he said, but everything had gotten hazy for Rayne. He sounded like he was trying to talk to her under water. She tried to speak, but her voice was hiding in her throat and she couldn't make a sound. She couldn't do anything, but stare at him with wide, frightened eyes. She could feel her body rapidly going cold and she felt like she was no longer inside her skin. The edges of her vision started to go black and there was a faint ringing in her ears.

Rogue barely had enough time to catch her before she hit the ground. He shook her a little and called out to her, but she seemed to be out cold. The shock of everything had taken its toll on her and he figured he could have been a little less intimidating with the rescue. With easy, he lifted her small figure, cradling her in his arms since he knew he couldn't just leave her there. Unfortunately, he was in the middle of a job so she couldn't stay with him. Instinctively he searched for a guild mark, but it wasn't until one hand ruffled her hair enough for him to feel a faint outline on the back of her neck. With great caution, he brushed her long, silver hair away from the nape of her neck. The dark purple insignia shined enough in the moonlight for Rogue to make out the shape. "Fairy Tail…" he muttered. "No wonder she couldn't defend herself." For a moment, memories from his past found their way to the front of his mind: Natsu and Gajeel, the strength, a time when Fairy Tail was the strongest guild in Fiore. But that was a very long time ago and too much had changed for that to matter now. Sabertooth, his own guild, held the title of the number one guild, and as far as Rogue was concerned, that wouldn't be changing any time soon.

He shook his head and his hair fell in his eyes. He was deeply concerned that this girl was a mage and didn't even bother to fight back. Little footsteps made their way down the alley towards him. "Rogue…" a small, high pitched voice echoed off the stone.

"It's okay, Frosch," he said quietly, turning to look at the green Exceed in the pink frog suit. "We just need to get her somewhere safe."

"Could Bellicose help?" Frosch cocked his head to one side.

Rogue looked down at Frosch and smiled softly, "We can try. Maybe we can catch her in a more tolerable mood." He looked down at the girl in his arms. The burns left by the criminals were starting to pucker and were an angry red. Her dress had been torn, burned and dirtied to a point of no return and Rogue knew Bellicose may be his only shot at helping her out. "Perhaps she'll at least help the her for the night."

"Fro thinks so too," the little creature chirped. Rogue gave the cat another smile before standing up, girl in tow. Frosch followed closely behind, afraid that he would get lost. His footsteps almost drowned out by those made from Rogue's boots.

Rogue looked at the girl while he carried her. There wasn't much to her at all and he wondered what a Fairy Tail mage who wasn't strong enough to use her own magic was doing so far away from the guild. With little more than a tattered knapsack at that. Out of the inky shadows of the alley and into the lingering light of the city, he could see her face clearly now. She was very pretty to Rogue and he immediately knew why she'd been targeted. But, if she was this pathetic, he didn't know why she'd bothered joining a guild to begin with. At that thought, he shook his head again, pulling the girl tightly to his chest so he wouldn't jostle her too much. He looked down at her again, for the first time noticing her left hand. The black, intricate design across her fingers struck him as odd and he wondered what it could possibly be, since it didn't look anything like a typical tattoo. Before he knew it, he was on the trail leading up to Bellicose's small home, having been too lost in thought to keep track of time or distance.

He'd been here several times on jobs for the grouchy woman who was getting too old to do things herself. She knew him well and he always treated her kindly, but he also knew that she could become a monster when angered. He treaded carefully up the path, Fro quietly bouncing behind him. All the lights were off inside, and as much as Rogue wanted to not bother Bellicose at the time, he knew there was nothing else for him to do, so with a nod of the head, he signaled Fro to knock.

* * *

**Naturally, thanks for reading. This chapter was intended to be longer, but I figured this was as good a break as any to stop at and I didn't want you guys to wait any longer. Let me know what you think!**


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